It has been known to use a data storage module, or vault cartridge, in such applications as credit cards and in controllers coupled to a host system. A particular problem associated with the use of such modules is that in order to couple data into and out of the module it is often a requirement that electrical terminals be exposed upon a surface of the module. These terminals may take the form of a card edge connector type terminal or other types of exposed conductive surfaces which are operable for being mated with a suitable connector in a receptacle to which the module is coupled. The terminals may also take the form of optical data transmission and reception devices. The exposure of the terminals may be disadvantageous for several reasons. For example, electrically conductive terminals may, under the influence of atmospheric moisture and contaminants, become oxidized thereby decreasing the conductivity of the terminals. Another disadvantage is that the terminals are exposed to sources of electrical discharge energy, such as static electricity. As is well known, static electricity may cause the degradation or the complete failure of integrated circuit devices which are subjected to a discharge of static electricity. Such integrated circuit devices may typically be included within the data storage module for the storage of data and for performing functions associated with the storage of the data.
Optical-type terminals may also be susceptible to conducting static electrical discharges into the storage module. Also, the radiation transmission and reception means, such as a lens, must be maintained free of radiation absorbing contaminates such as dirt and grease.
Due to this requirement of previous data storage modules that the data coupling terminals be in physical contact or otherwise physically accessible to the host system mating terminals, the exposure of the terminals upon a surface of the data storage module can result in the overall degradation of the operation of the module or even in the complete failure of the module to reliably store data. This problem is especially acute in relatively small and portable data storage modules which by definition may be inserted and removed a number of times from a host system. Such modules may also be especially vulnerable in that they are typically carried about in a jacket or shirt pocket where the danger of exposure to static electric discharge is increased.
It is therefore one objective of the invention to provide a vault cartridge which does not have data signal coupling conductors exposed upon a surface of the cartridge.
It is also an objective of the invention to provide a vault cartridge which has data signal coupling means enclosed within a nonconductive protective covering of the cartridge.
It is a still further objective of the invention to provide a vault cartridge having conductive plate-like members disposed beneath an insulating covering of the cartridge, the plate-like members forming, in conjunction with plate-like members in a vault receptacle, a plurality of capacitors for capacitively coupling data and other signals into and out of the cartridge.